Advice to the Aspiring Employee

I’ve spent the past few weeks busy evaluating team performance for our semi-annual review process. And every year, I take it more seriously because every year I realize how much more important *people* are to the company. 

I used to think this was a throw-away comment - but hiring, developing, promoting and rewarding the “A” players is the difference between a high-performing company, and all the other average players.

Anyone reading this might ask, “Well, what do you mean by an ‘A’ player? I work really hard. I have great ideas. I’ve got experience. Doesn’t that make me an ‘A’ player too? How do I get promoted?” 

Well, from a manager’s perspective, here’s the advice I give, and what I look for in “A” players - and believe most other management does too.

1. Table-Stakes: Do your core job well. You’re expected to be competent, handle your responsibilities, know your skills, execute on-time, and keep your accountabilities on-track.  And for all of that, you’ll achieve being a solid “average” player.  There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this - unless you’re looking to grow, get a promotion, and excel at the company. But you have to start here.
   
   
2. Next: Your willingness and ability to go above-and-beyond. This means that if/when there is a “crunch-time”, when there is an aggressive project, an emergency, a “special assignment” etc., you’re willing to put in the extra hours to get it done. These extra hours might be over a period of days -- and occasionally over weeks. But you’ve got to be willing to show your commitment to do this. It means that you’re able to identify the important projects (maybe only 1-2 a year) and rally to deliver them on time. Your management will notice, because it shows an awareness and commitment to do what needs to get done. BTW, a word of caution: This does NOT mean you are constantly working 80 hour weeks! (you’ll burn yourself out).  
   
   
3. The hard one: Learn to push the envelope of your Job Description: Here’s the aspect of your job that signals your most “promotable” aspect: I like to think of it as “pushing the envelope” of the job. Others might call it “working at the next level above you”. Either way, it means you are thinking outside the box that’s called your job description.
   
   Is there an idea you have that management hasn’t thought of? An opportunity nobody’s identified yet? A strategy that hasn’t been pursued? Whatever the instance, it should be incremental to your role (but not so “blue-sky” as to be immediately dismissed).  But here’s the key: Management *loves* new ideas - and execution of those ideas - coming from employees. It means the employee is interested, motivated, ambitious. Who wouldn’t like someone like that on their team?
   
   One other perspective in which to hold “pushing the envelope”: It’s all about your attitude. Try this thought experiment - if you got a promotion tomorrow, what would you do differently? How would you act? What goals would you set for yourself? How would you team/partner differently? How would you communicate differently with management?  So start acting/doing all of that NOW! Promotions most frequently happen to people who are ALREADY acting and executing at the next level. 
   

What if you don’t know what “outside the box” means for you?  Then my recommendation is to brainstorm with your manager… or with their manager. You don’t need to have all the answers, but you should show the eagerness to inquire and discover. 

There are tons of other skills, attitudes, and attributes that’ll help you be a star. And sometimes, it’s just-plain experience that helps too. 

But if you’re wondering “how will I get that great review” or “am I promotable”, my suggestion is to first focus on the 3 points above.